State Rep. Bastien taken aback by release of court records

Wednesday

Oct 24, 2012 at 6:00 AMOct 24, 2012 at 1:03 PM

By George Barnes TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

State Rep. Richard P. Bastien, R-Gardner, is crying foul after a representative of the Democratic Party released information on a court case he was involved in before his election as state representative — and in which he was found not guilty.

The documents detail theft charges brought against Mr. Bastien, the incumbent representing the 2nd Worcester District, in 2009 by his then-employer, Rent-A-Center. Mr. Bastien fought the charges and was found not guilty by a jury in Fitchburg District Court in February 2010. The information was released by Kevin Franck, communications director for the Massachusetts Democratic Party, but Mr. Bastien blames the campaign of his opponent, Jonathan Zlotnik, a Democrat from Gardner. Mr. Franck could not be reached yesterday for comment.

“I think that my opponent, not having any idea of his own, keeps trying to negatively campaign against me,” Mr. Bastien said. “It’s really unfortunate. I wonder who is advising him.”

Mr. Bastien said the sense he is getting from voters he talks to is that they are sick of negative campaigning.

In the case, Rent-A-Center, where Mr. Bastien was employed for seven years, alleged he accepted money from customers but entered a lower amount in the system as the purchase price. The complaint estimated that more than $2,300 was missing.

Mr. Bastien denies he took any money for himself, but said he used money from the store for expenses within the store. He said he believes the charges against him and his firing from the company two days before Christmas on Dec. 23, 2008, were the result of a dispute he had with a manager over holiday bonus payments.

“Clearly it was personally motivated,” he said. “I knew it was untrue and my staff knew it was untrue. It was unfounded.”

Mr. Bastien said anyone can make an allegation against someone, but he was found not guilty in the case.

Mr. Zlotnik said he was not contacted by Mr. Franck or anyone from the Democratic State Committee about releasing the information about the court case. He said he prefers to focus on the issues.

“I’d much rather be talking about my industry incubator proposal,” he said.

But Mr. Zlotnik said he understands why someone might bring up an issue like that.

“In 2010 when he ran the first time, he talked about his experience managing a Rent-A-Center in Gardner,” he said. “There is no surprise someone would look into it.”

Mr. Zlotnik said that is standard procedure in campaigns today.

“I’m sure the Republicans have looked into my background,” he said.

Mr. Zlotnik said if a candidate has anything in his background the public might find questionable, it is in the candidate’s best interest to bring it out.

But Mr. Bastien said it is dirty politics and he will not stoop that low and attack his opponent.

“I was told once you don’t get into a mudslinging fight with a pig because you both will get dirty,” he said.

Mr. Bastien said he plans to stick with the issues, talking about creating jobs for people of the district and other matters he sees as important.

“People are worried about losing their homes,” he said. “That’s why I won’t attack my opponent, even though he is attacking me.”

Mr. Zlotnik said he agrees some things should be off limits in campaigns, including a candidate’s family, sexual orientation and religious beliefs. He said court records are not in the same category and are not off limits.

During a debate earlier this month, Mr. Zlotnik noted that Mr. Bastien had been charged in 2007 with drunk driving, saying it is something voters should know. In that case the court continued the charges without a finding for one year. When Mr. Zlotnik brought up the case, Mr. Bastien also took him to task for negative campaigning.